Journalist murdered in unclear circumstances in Lagos
| Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
| Publication Date | 21 August 2008 |
| Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Journalist murdered in unclear circumstances in Lagos, 21 August 2008, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/48ae6ee71e.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Reporters Without Borders is saddened and dismayed by the murder of Paul Abayomi Ogundeji, a reporter for the privately-owned daily Thisday and a member of its editorial board. He was gunned down in Lagos on 17 August, less than two years after Godwin Agbroko, the chairman of its editorial board, was killed in similar circumstances.
The press freedom organisation wrote today to police commissioner Ali Amadu of the Special Investigation Unit, who is in charge of the case, asking him to ensure that the investigation is "credible and transparent" and that all leads are followed up, including information provided to the inspector general of police by Thisday managing director Eniola Bello indicating the possible involvement of police officers.
According to initial police information, Ogundeji was shot dead in the Lagos neighbourhood of Dopemu at around 11 p.m. as he was returning home by car. Gunmen were said to have blocked his way, told him to open his car door, and opened fire when he refused.
However, in his petition to the inspector general, Bello quoted an alleged statement by a policeman that Ogundeji ignored police orders to stop at a police checkpoint before getting himself killed. The 19 August issues of two independent dailies, The Punch and The Nigerian Compass, quoted an unidentified source as saying he saw uniformed police officers shoot Ogundeji.
Police commissioner Amadu met with the staff of Thisday yesterday, assured them that he realised the seriousness of this evidence and appealed to anyone with information that could help the investigation to come forward.
Ogundeji had worked for a range of Nigerian newspapers including The Guardian, The Punch, The Comet and The Week. He had just joined Thisday's editorial board after stepping down as press spokesman for Femi Pedro, the former deputy governor of Lagos state, who was the opposition Labour Party's candidate in last year's general elections.
